ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. can — a tin
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. wind — moving air
  5. can — to be able to
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. press — to push
  10. press — a publisher
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. stock — goods
  13. can — a tin
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lean — thin
  16. stock — shares
  17. press — newspapers
  18. bass — the fish
  19. rule — government
  20. wind — moving air
  21. rule — a law
  22. bass — low music
  23. lean — to bend
  24. rule — to rule out

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com